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Re: Federal Election 2007

Prime Minister John Howard is linked to the "underworld" of the Queensland Liberal Party through former minister Santo Santoro, Labor frontbencher Wayne Swan said on Sunday.

Treasury spokesman Mr Swan said Senator Santoro was Mr Howard's numbers man in Queensland, where factional fighting has produced a series of scandals plaguing the federal government.

Senator Santoro resigned as minister for ageing on Friday over dozens of undeclared shareholdings, and further potential conflicts of interest were reported on Sunday.

His resignation follows allegations of allowance rorting by Queensland Liberals which have led police to search the offices of three federal MPs.

It also emerged last week that Mr Howard had attended a Queensland party fundraiser at which a violent porn mogul was present.

"All of these stories have generally been generated from the underworld of the Queensland Liberal Party, the factional wars that are going on in the party in that state," Mr Swan told ABC TV.

"Senator Santoro has been Mr Howard's number one numbers man in Queensland for a very long period of time.

"So the prime minister also has a direct linkage to the state of the Liberal Party in Queensland."

Mr Swan also accused Mr Howard of failing to scrutinise Senator Santoro's shareholdings in the past six months.

"What's the prime minister been doing? Even by his elastic standards of ministerial responsibility these are stunning breaches, and the prime minister simply hasn't been on the ball here.

"He could have been conducting an audit if he takes his code of conduct as seriously as he says that he does."

The Labor frontbencher continued to accuse the government of slinging mud against Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd and predicted it would begin attacks on another front.

"The smear campaign I think will be followed by the fear campaign, the distortion of Labor policies. That's the next stage after they continue to attack Kevin Rudd's character and other people on our frontbench."

Labor deputy leader Julia Gillard said Mr Howard needs to explain why he didn't find out about a Senator Santoro's controversial shareholdings before they were made public last week.

Ms Gillard said the opposition wouldn't let the matter drop now the Queensland senator had quit.

"Senator Santoro still has some explaining to do," she told the Nine Network.

"More importantly than that we need an explanation from the prime minister about this chain of events."

Ms Gillard said Mr Howard should have sought information about other shareholdings when Senator Santoro told the prime minister last October about owning stock in a biotechnology company.

"If he didn't ask that question, why not?

"If he did ask it, what was he told?"

The Labor deputy leader said Mr Howard was rightfully bearing the brunt of public disenchantment with the coalition reflected in opinion polls.

"Voters are looking at the government and I think they're increasingly concluding that it's old, it's tired, its best days are behind it, and there is a raggedness and loss of control.

"That squarely lies at the feet of the prime minister.

"He's the bloke that's supposed to be in charge."

She said the government's distraction with internal troubles was affecting its performance.

"When you get those sorts of problems, that kind of loss of control, what it means is the government isn't spending any time dealing with the issues that voters care about.

"It's spending all of its time looking after its political interests and what it can do to help itself."

Anybody over the age of 30 who still uses the bus should consider themselves a failure in life. -Margaret Thatcher

Re: Federal Election 2007

Quote-
"The score card is very, very strong and if we roll back WorkChoices, which is what Labor will do if it wins at the end of this year, it will be the first time in a generation that a major economic reform in this country has been reversed," he said.

"That will send a terrible signal to the business community in this country, to investors abroad."

Quote II-
"The evidence is that WorkChoices has been beneficial. We've had what, more than a quarter of a million more jobs created, wages have continued to rise strongly, strikes at their lowest level since 1913 so the scorecard is very, very strong."

yes and in 1914 WWI started! A statement like that would fill me with confidence.

Re: Federal Election 2007

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21470456-2,00.html
Now if this is a preceedent they should polygraph all standing members
to check their honesty factor, especially now at election time.
Now that would make me think about politicians as being somewhat honest...
Drug test them as well. However their is a way to beat the lie detector.
Only though those who could beat it have narcissistic personalities and
are imo quite dangerous and should not hold public office.

Both state and federal govts are to blame here- not just one or the other. If they cut fringe benefits tax (federal) it would be like the good old days *** dreaming of the return of the loooong lunch- . 'its my shout- woohooo!!'

Re: Federal Election 2007

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21503038-2,00.html
Carbon Tax is looking more viable. Time is up for the coal industry or is this clean coals rapid development? Either way- more taxes. If the EU does it and the US soon we will be forced anyway on the carbon trading scheme market weather we like it- or not. Im getting those solar panels on my roof.

Why did the Govt take away the ACCC's powers of search and seizure in 1996 after they
raided Caltex and discovered some starting information. Then Caltex rang up big businesses
best friends in Canberra and they gutted their own watchdogs powers. Looks like this tooth cutting
will haunt the government. Happy Easter price gouging peoples. I wonder what their excuse
will be this time- Iran, Kazachistan, The Caspian Sea, OPEC board meeting, Greedy NY
oil speculators. You can guarantee they will pull one out of the hat this holiday season
like any other.

Quote-
But Victorian Treasurer John Brumby said yesterday that it was clear price exploitation was occurring.
"This is a matter that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has looked at time and time again and they've never been able to pin anybody," he said.
"It's a pity because there is undoubtedly collusion occurring."
Brumby accused the petrol companies of increasing prices before Easter every year.
"It's unfortunate that there is not enough competition here, it's unfortunate that motorists do get fleeced and the only advice that we give … is fill your tank earlier in the week when prices are lower — but it is a matter for the ACCC."

Quote II-Federal Treasurer Peter Costello said the ACCC is keeping a close watch on prices over the holidays.

Yes the ACCC reminds me of a cop without a gun during a crime wave. Why bother having such
a organisation with no power in anything. The NRMA has more oomph than they have. Looks
like big business do run the government giving people the illusion they do have rights- hilarious.

Re: Federal Election 2007

I hope nine msn stop editing their pages as it could be confused
with irresponsible journalism. I have caught them out more
than once. Labour is Channel 7/10- Liberal is 9/(to a lesser
extent ABC) and SBS is Labour/Green.
It is not hard to work out political allegiances.

Quote-The federal government has denied the existence of a secret plan to soften its controversial Work Choices laws in the lead-up to the election.

Reports on Sunday said former workplace relations minister Kevin Andrews had overseen an emergency strategy to be implemented if public support for the already unpopular new workplace laws continued to crumble.

The strategy reportedly involved restoring workers' public holidays and penalty rates for weekend work, as well as measures to strengthen maternity leave and redundancy provisions.

It would also involve revising the classification of small business to a firm with fewer than 50 employees, down from 100, to lower the number of companies eligible for exemption from unfair dismissal laws under Work Choices.

If they do that they would only be playing into Labors hands- open to attack. Talk about
being desperate to hold office- lol

Re: Federal Election 2007

Hmm I won't be vocal about who I'm voting for, but it will hopefully entail an end to oppresively biased and right-opinionated media. Every article I read in the newspapers about the David Hicks situation seemed to have Labor-slandering garbage, and little else. " Labour supporters are wrong coz they say this" etc. I don't pick up the paper for some idiots opinion, let alone a puppet's opinion.

Re: Federal Election 2007

A student of history would think the Liberals would adopt the same tactics
about Labor- John Major and the conservatives used before Tony Blair assumed office. Scare tactics will be used by the conservatives (Liberals) to maximum effect and this will assume all the lowest blows in personal attacks. To the Labor camp if they wish to attack John Howard they only need to look at some of his speeches before he came to power. If they research his Grandfather and the antics he got up to in PNG... Look at the dark history of GWB's grandfather as well...

I was only defending David Hicks on the premise of our constitution and a 'fair go' not on his own character. Mercenaries are... To me he is a steroid freak- adrenaline junkie who fits the archetype for a gun for hire. He was hard done
by but IMO is a merc and no terrorist as he does not fit the mould. Labour (left faction) should not idolise a loser but should emphasize that all creatures great and small deserve their rights despite how we might think they do not.

Personally I don't like either as left and right serve nobody except themselves.
Both agendas explain the chaos the world has faced since the end of WWII.
Unions and Business groups should work together and this ****ing bickering must stop otherwise our country will be thrown into peril. As I run a business and employ people and try to get both to negotiate rather than bicker to good success. You can actually have it both ways. Productivity is allot more than hardline extremist economics to the business camp and to the unions you cannot have everything however I know if you look after the workers in the best possible way you do help things. Though it seems both business and union interest groups have done their best to hinder rather than help progress in the western world. Conflict serves nobody except the creators of conflict.

My word to both camps- this is the 21st century the bickering from the industrial era must stop for the common good. Everybody deserves rights and a fair go and all sides must be listened to- except for extremists on both sides. Both Labour and Liberal contain them and lets not forget the Greens or Democrats. Its a wonder they don't test people psychologically before/during they assume public office.

Re: Federal Election 2007

The nursing home enquiry widens. I wonder who in the nursing home was told by management to cover it up for their 'reputation'. Well when five people are dead you don't have much reputation to cover you. Its a wonder why they even have that nursing home open and not closed down. Ask Christopher Pyne or as I call him Little Lord Faulteroy.

Its time people learnt how to put fruit and veges in the garden.
Planting my tomato, capsicum, chocko, sweet potato cucumbers and chilli. Beat the price
rise- avoid it. Im not buying foreign food. Yes and Im hoping for decent rain as well
as its looooong overdue.

Re: Federal Election 2007

The 'Kingmaker' picking his new king for his new legion of peasants to rule over his southern land. The talks you guessed it are secret and why wonder why people are cynical about politicians these days.

I would IMO not stand within 5m of such a man let alone as my moral integrity would be non-existent. His treatment of Barrack Obama on his Fox TV station is deplorable. Rupert Murdoch is backing Hillary- little Miss Skull & Bones.

Good luck Kevin- being the new king is precarious to say the least.
He who holds the crown...

Quote-Mr Garrett has thrown his support behind an amendment from frontbencher Anthony Albanese which would effectively mean no new mines could be built for years.

Mr Albanese's amendment to Mr Rudd's motion would place tough measures on storing waste and prevent uranium being used for nuclear weapons.

Quote-Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull says it would be extraordinary if Labor turned its back on nuclear energy and uranium mining.

Well Malcolm I don't think they will be building a nuclear reactor in your leafy North Shore suburb....for some reason.
The Liberals don't even debate on anything- that shows stagnancy in political thinking IMO. Debate is good as it
shows a party is dynamic rather than a one size fits all thinking. To Mr Rudd, most of the public still remembers
Chernobyl very well so nuclear mining is something most Australians treat with some suspicion. This should be
a interesting fiery debate. Malcolm do you not care that oneday some of our uranium- could be used against us.
The money or the conscience- The great Oppenheimer question.

Re: Federal Election 2007

The Prime Minister 'pushes' for nuclear power, mining and 'enrichment'.
Its back to the future...Iran cannot have enrichment . Thus I gather
we like Japan are 'proxy nuclear weapon capable' and for the Chinese and Russians
more targets to the list...http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=263603

Re: Federal Election 2007

It's a bit of a Catch-22 like everything isn't it? Wanna reduce carbon emissions? Dig up uranium, make it dangerous, react it to become toxic and hope to store it somewhere "out of the way". Sound too risky? Well then keep on polluting.

How's fusion power technology coming along? Obviously not cost effective yet, but is that new station in France (I think) achieving a net production of power yet (as opposed to fusion projects of old that consumed more power than generated)? Once that get's going it's good bye fission - much higher potential for power output, much more eco-friendly fuels required, waste product non-damaging, and much safer because if anything goes wrong it doesn't cascade into chaos a'la Chernobyl, as fusion is not a chain reaction and would simply stop.